Shoes - Frustrations

I have a pair of very old Adidas fencing shoes that I LOVE.  I purchased them on sale the summer before my senior year of college.  They were on sale because they had long before been discontinued with select sizes left.  I purchased a size that was actually 1/2 size too small. But I love them.

I've been fencing in these shoes for over 2 years now with varying degrees of intensity.  In college, I would fence a few tourneys a month and practice for a few hours 2 or 3 times a week. After college, I would fence very, very occasionally.  And of course, I've been using them on average 2 times a week plus competitions since I started back up last fall.

They have held up remarkably well.  No tears and no holes.  While logic tells me they should be uncomfortable (since they're a bit too small), they in fact fit like a glove and offer perfect support.  I move well in them.  I feel light on my feet but close to the ground.

The only problem is that the tread has been obliterated in the obvious places on the front foot.  My new club has the "cheese grater" strips which actually provide me with a bit more traction than just a wooden floor, but with no tread, I can't possibly fence in these shoes for much longer.  So I've begun searching for a replacement.

Adidas has always been my go-to brand.  I am comfortable with their fit and happy ordering online because I know what I'll get.  At least, I used to.  Adidas seems to have dropped fencing as a priority. Now, all of their "fencing" shoes are really just court shoes (like racquet ball, bandmitton, etc.) with the word fencing slapped onto the label. That is NOT what I want. I want a FENCING shoe, dammit.

My husband fences in the Leon Paul Scimtars.  He likes them a lot, as do a lot of people I know who have them. My only problem with them is that they are wide and seeing how I fence in shoes 1/2 size too small, I clearly do not have wide feet.  The Viktoria shoes are just too expensive for me to drop the cash on without knowing what the fit and quality is.

So I ordered a pair of Asics.   They weren't very expensive.   I fenced in them on Monday and I can't decide if I like them.  They certainly can't hold a candle to my old pair and they formed a couple of blisters on my feet.  That may have been simply due to the laces loosening as I fenced in them.  I still plan on wearing my old shoes at practice and maybe pulling these out for a few bouts at the end of the night to see if they wear in a bit.  But I doubt I will ever be 100% happy with these. So the hunt will continue...